Of course there is, but is it as big as people anticipate? If so, I’m not feeling it. I use Facebook on occasion and when I do, it is mainly because it’s one aspect of my job. Majority of my friends no longer log on very often and while the applications were a fun feature, it’s gotten pretty old. That is — aside from the stupid application notifications that continue to arrive and tell me that a friend has bitten me in some sort of manner. My friends and I used to some pet application and feed one another’s pets with old ragged boots, but that has gotten tiring as well despite the huge amount of amusement we received initially from doing so.
Just as an example of my own demographic — I am 26 — turning 27 very soon. I have friends and relatives who are older and younger than I am on Facebook ranging from 16 to 57 and I have begun to notice their usage level gradually slowing down.
What does this equate to?
It means that Facebook’s influence is not ever-expanding. Web 2.0 fanatics and sites that continue to multiply by copying and upgrading or building upon one another’s features will not win over users simply by making an application on Facebook’s platform or even Google’s potentially OpenSocial platform. The reign of superficial qualities, functions and aesthetics of Web 2.0 is over.
Providing interesting functions and impressive interactions between people is good and it is a feature that is highly regarded but the underlying flaw behind many web 2.0 sites and applications is the assumption that the time factor is constant. The other assumption is the friend factor — that if friends are there, people will almost always follow their friends.
The Internet is meant for diversity and many different communities. Websites that aid in the creation of such diversity and appeal to specific interests will prevail in the end. Facebook will survive, there’s no doubt about it but it definitely will not be the giant that people think it will become. Facebook is a gated-community with many communities but it’s key features are its human interaction functions. Some communities within Facebook will thrive, others will fade out and find another website that’s more suitable to its needs.
I know there are still many people who still live and thrive on Facebook, but for me — *yawn* … it just isn’t worth my time anymore — not for my interests anyways.
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Check out Seth Godin’s recent blog on Facebook’s generational challenge. It’s not the same opinion as mine, but his post illustrates how communities in Facebook can be formed — how a university introduced people together to form a community (or more like a bunch of friends).
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